Biography
J. F. Lawton is an American screenwriter, producer and director. Born Jonathan Frederick Lawton on 11 August 1960 in Riverside, California, he studied filmmaking at California State University, Long Beach, before moving to Los Angeles and working in post-production. His father was the author Harry Lawton.
Lawton wrote the screenplay for Pretty Woman (1990), originally developed as the darker script 3000 and later adapted into the hit romantic comedy directed by Garry Marshall. He received Writers Guild of America and British Academy Award nominations for the film. His other screen credits include Mistress (1992), Under Siege (1992), Blankman (1994), Chain Reaction (1996) and DOA: Dead or Alive (2006). He wrote and directed The Hunted (1995) and created the television series V.I.P. (1998–2002). He later wrote the book for the stage musical adaptation of Pretty Woman.
